Sheila LaBarre's ex-boyfriend says he is lucky to be alive

Friday

May 30, 2008 at 2:00 AM

BRENTWOOD (AP) — A man who had a six-year relationship with Sheila LaBarre testified he has a vanity plate that reads, "I'm Alive," and recalled they would fight every day and that she attacked him with scissors, a knife, an ax — even a gun.

BRENTWOOD (AP) — A man who had a six-year relationship with Sheila LaBarre testified he has a vanity plate that reads, "I'm Alive," and recalled they would fight every day and that she attacked him with scissors, a knife, an ax — even a gun.

When asked by the defense the meaning of his vanity plate, James Brackett said, "I thought I'm lucky to be alive. It could have been me," later saying, "I believed she could have killed me."

Brackett, who dated LaBarre between 1996 and 2002, said Thursday in addition to those attacks, LaBarre also whacked Brackett in the face with a 2-foot-long wooden grill brush after they had taken a bath together, knocking out two of his teeth.

Brackett said Thursday the fights often stemmed from LaBarre accusing him of doing something he didn't do, like hurting her animals, damaging her property or sleeping with other women. Her charges were always untrue and sometimes far-fetched, Brackett said, but would almost always lead to an abusive fight.

Brackett, who lived with LaBarre at her Epping farm, said he was so desperate to leave, he hitchhiked through a blizzard to a homeless shelter in Portsmouth. He said the fights had grown so violent and he was afraid one of them might be killed.

LaBarre pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to killing 24-year-old Kenneth Countie and 38-year-old Michael Deloge. Brackett had introduced Deloge to LaBarre.

Philip Sullos, who worked on LaBarre's farm several times a week, said he met Deloge and would often see LaBarre slapping him around.

Sullos recounted one occasion when he saw LaBarre beat Deloge in her home with a hardwood stick until he was bleeding. Deloge didn't fight back but simply shielded himself with his arms, Sullos said. Another time, LaBarre opened a locked door to a windowless wood storage room, revealing to Sullos that Deloge was kept inside. Sullos said he didn't ask why he was in there and that Deloge made no attempt to escape.

Brackett testified that LaBarre stabbed him in the head with a pair of cuticle scissors, chased him through a field with a knife and hacked her way into a camper Brackett was hiding out in with an ax during one of their many arguments.

There were a few times LaBarre shot at him with a .38 pistol, bullets whizzing by his head, Brackett said. He also said LaBarre would often claw and scratch at his face.

Brackett was hesitant to categorize LaBarre as crazy, but did call her evil a few times on the stand. He also testified during cross-examination that LaBarre caused a scene during a court hearing for an assault charge issued after one of their fights as a way to get the charges dropped.

"She said she was playing the system to make sure I get out of jail," said Brackett.

When the defense questioned Brackett again about this comment and why this was the first time he had ever mentioned it, he said he didn't remember LaBarre making that comment until last night.

The jury also heard from Yvon Blais, LaBarre's on-again, off-again boyfriend who she met in 1998 or 1999. Blais also described LaBarre as erratic, volatile and violent, often flying off the handle at the smallest provocation.

He testified he once saw LaBarre and Brackett in a full-fledged fight, hitting and wrestling, and another time was awakened by LaBarre as she tried to kick down the door to his mother's house, where Blais was sleeping.

Stephen Martello of Manchester testified he picked up LaBarre alongside Interstate 293 in Manchester early on March 28, 2006. LaBarre told him her car had broken down after getting into a fight with her boyfriend and she needed to get to Dorchester, Mass., to meet with an attorney, Martello said.

Martello said the way LaBarre was clutching her purse and her overall strange behavior prompted him to call the Manchester police to ask whether they were looking for a robbery suspect or a woman who had escaped from prison or a mental hospital.

Hearing from police they weren't looking for anyone, Martello took LaBarre to a hotel, where they had sex. Martello said that after having intercourse, LaBarre told him he had just had sex with an angel. She also began talking about discovering child pornography that belonged to her boyfriend. LaBarre claimed her boyfriend and all police officers were pedophiles and that "sex offenders must all die," said Martello.

"She said that vengeance is mine said the Lord and that she was sent back to earth as an angel," said Martello. She also told him, he said, that she could speak to God and the apostles in Hebrew.

When defense attorney Brad Bailey asked what he did when he heard this, Martello said, "I was basically trying to get my pants and shoes on so I could leave."

Martello said when he got home to Manchester that night, he turned on the television and saw LaBarre was wanted in connection with the death of Countie. He said he then went to a police station and told authorities, "I think I just met Sheila LaBarre."

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